In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until dough begins to form.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange twelve 4" tart rings or pans with removable bottoms onto the baking sheet. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough evenly into 12 roughly formed balls. With lightly floured fingers, press each dough ball into the bottom and up the sides of the rings or pans. If you're using fluted pans, use the blunt end of a chopstick to push the dough into the curves. Place the shells in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Make the filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, salt and spices. Add the eggs and evaporated milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pastry shells. Bake until the centres are set (25 to 35 minutes). Let cool completely on wire racks. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.*

Before serving, mix the nuts with enough spoonable caramel topping to coat the nuts (about half a jar) Spoon over the tarts.

Notes

*The tarts can be frozen at this point if you want to have some in reserve for another occasion. Simply remove them from the freezer about an hour before you wish to serve them and top with the nut mixture tossed with caramel at that time.

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5 Comments

Beatrice
on October 15, 2018 at 2:41 am

Thanks for a cute Thanksgiving idea…essentially shortbread with pumpkin custard filling. One of two good uses for tinned pumpkin (the other being quick soups). But seriously, Smuckers?? If I’m doing that much work, I’ll take another few minutes and make my patented butterscotch topping…butter, sugar, cream, Lyle’s, vanilla. Boil to just before soft ball stage. Yum. End of.

Haha! By all means, Beatrice. It would be even more delicious. I had some caramel topping left over from when the grandkids visited and liked the ease of the final presentation. No question that homemade is always preferable. Have a good day!

I noticed that. Not too worried. My sister’s signature pie is a French Silk and I didn’t know for years that she used Pappy’s or similar for the crust. Last fall she was having trouble finding it and we ended up going to several stores in search of it. I struggle with pie crust so I rarely bake pies. Using store bought does provide a consistency that is nice.

Since it appears that the topping goes on shortly before serving I would certainly consider a prepared caramel especially if the meal had other last minute things to do.